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Azania by the numbers
Geopolitical Overview The Azanian Confederation was formed in 2040 when the Cape Republic, Oranje-Vrystaat, Trans-Swazi Federation, and Zulu Nation combined into one nation after a long period of unrest and open warfare between the four states. Together, the four power blocs created the largest, and strongest industrial nation in Africa. The Azanian Confederation was immediately recognized by the UN upon formation, and fully participates in the Global SIN Registry. The four states have different political, racial, and ethnic viewpoints. The Cape Republic, the largest of them all, is seen as the most cosmopolitan of them all, while the Oranje-Vrystaat and Zulu Nation are the most radical, their proximity and sharp divide in opinions on racial, ethinc and political matters leading to strife and unrest to this day. The Trans-Swazi federation, meanwhile, is seen as the moderator between the two, trying to remain the voice of reason. Each state has equal representation on the 64 seat National Parliament. Individual states have limited sovereign rights, although each must also abide by the national constitution. Laws in each state may be more restrictive than national laws, and typically are. The Prime Minister is democratically elected and serves for a single five-year term; other national government positions are appointed by the Parliament. Prime Ministers are elected from candidates from the three states not currently represented by the office, preventing any one state from dominating the national government, something that has vexed both Oranje-Vrystaat's and the Cape Republic's politicians for years. In 2073, the Azanian confederation passed the Joint Military Act, effectively uniting it's military forces with corporation-sponsored mercenaries and allowing sponsorship, even partial ownership, of military units, in order to reduce the extreme costs and increase effectiveness. Since then, corporations have had more influence in the Azanian government, particularly DeBeers Omnitech, which has notably been fighting for increased corporate lobbying and exploitation rights. At the moment, the government is heavily divided and some predict that a crisis may develop in coming years. In return, companies could expect military assistance during times of war or if their holdings were under attack. The Cape Republic, home to the predominant Xhosa tribe, is also the home of the great dragon Mujaji. Mujaji has limited involvement with the government, although she is reported to have great involvement in Azania’s environmental policies. The previous prime minister, Keith Pietersen, is rumored to have greatly insulted Mujaji when he decided to enlist corporate aid in reducing crime within Cape Town and spearheaded the Joint Military Act. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he was not re-elected in 2074 and Elize Schoeman, from the Trans-Swazi federation, took over the position, calling for reason and a seperation of corporations and state, as well as focusing on combating environmental exploitation. The Zulu Nation is considered an Awakened nation, almost separate from the rest of Azania. Both the Zulu and the Xhosa were minimally affected (in comparison to other African tribes) by the various VITAS epidemics, which the Xhosa attribute their survival to the patronage of the great dragon Mujaji.The Zulu are predominantly elven, and the Zulu Nation is considered by many to be an Elven nation. Azania is home to many different racial and ethnic groups, including Zulu, Xhosa, Sepedi, Tswana, Sesoto, Tsonga, Afrikaans, Indians and English.There are twelve national languages, but the most prominent ones are considered to be kwaZulu, English, Sperethiel and Afrikaans. Major Cities Cape Town Nestled in a bowl beneath Table Mountain, Cape Town has recently become Azania’s most populous city and remains Azania's most important international seaport. The waterfront is a bustling area with significant megacorporate presence and ships from almost every nation in dock. Unfortunately, crime is also rampant in the waterfront, and it’s a notorious haven for pirates as well as an entry and exit point for black-market goods, drugs, and smugglers. Only in recent years has the crime been forced under control, with the introduction of Assegai and corporate-sponsored forces to the area, the crime rate for Cape Town's central and waterfront districts dropping substantially. The Downtown area has undergone an urban revitalization, becoming a tourist hotspot. �The tree-lined streets are home to numerous corporations, shopping centers, clubs, and hotels. In addition, Downtown is home to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Magical Waters Aquarium, Admirality Fish Market and the National Gallery. Corporations such as DeBeers-Omnitech, Evo, NeoNET, and Shiawase all have large corporate parks in the downtown area, and Cape Town is quickly gaining a reputation as a global hot spot for nanotech, genetech, and biotech industries. Cape Town is also the legislative capital of Azania. And of course, Cape Town is the most diverse city in the nation, and the symbol for modern African culture around the globe. Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vaal The divided Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vaal sprawl is the administrative capital of Azania. It also happens to run along the Witwatersrand hills, which have produced 50 percent of the world’s gold mined to date. As such, the sprawl has the highest per-capita income of any city in Africa. A heavily traveled railway network connects PWV to other cities in Azania, and the main line connects to the port of Cape Town. The sprawl is entirely dependent on the Cape Town port, and as such, has invested significant rands into reclaiming the port and Cape Town from the criminal elements that have plagued the seaport for decades, and funds both Azanian forces and merc groups in the Cape. Pretoria is home to Witwatersrand International Airport, the largest airport in Azania. New Hlobane The capital of the Zulu Nation, New Hlobane is a shining example of an Awakened city. From the resident population of shapeshifters (including a former Mayor) to the active community of free spirits, New Hlobane is a haven for the Awakened of all races (in the city of 1.4 million, census data shows that a full 20 percent of the population are sentient non-metahumans, while 50 percent are elven). Ecotourism and para-tourism draw more than fifty thousand visitors annually. The city has a signifcant amount of other industry, with numerous corporations and startups flourishing under the favorable tax laws and subsidies for paratechnology and ecotechology research. A contract with Horizon plans to have the Zulu Nation fully wireless by 2074; New Hlobane is the flagship city for the special AR environment designed for the Zulu Nation. The city is built at the base of the Hlobane mountain, a sacred site to the Zulu elves. Access to the Zulu nation is limited, and travel visas have strict requirements. Visitors are recommended to apply in advance for travel outside New Hlobane into the Zulu Nation. Import or export of magical goods is heavily regulated in the Zulu Nation, outside of New Hlobane, where the Zulu tribespeople sell highly desirable magical goods at open air markets held every Wednesday. New Hlobane has a small airport as well as a regional railway; a bullet train travels between New Hlobane and urban three times a day. Mbabane The Trans-Swazi Federation is the smallest state in the Azania Confederation, and its capital city, Mbabane, reflects that. Located in the mountainous Highveld, Mbabane is a remote city with little formal industry or corporate investment. It is plagued with poverty and crime, and due to rampant sanitation and health issues, the World Health Organization lists the city under potential pandemic hotspots. Outside Mbabane, the Highveld is considered one of the most picturesque areas in Azania, and the Trans-Swazi Federation has started a “clean-up” campaign to attempt to draw more of the lucrative tourist trade. In 2075, Mbabane has moved forward with an urban and industrial renewal, heavily sponsored by Saeder-Krupp and Ares Macrotechnology. Some have questioned as to why so much funding is financed by these two corporations, but the government remains tight-lipped about "privileged" information.